Spicy

Travel is a passion of mine. The actual activity of traveling however, can be hit or miss with me. Lately when I fly, my return journey home has involved less than pleasurable activities. Food poisoning tops the list and that has happened to me twice the day I left. The more common occurrences have involved delays, missed flights, and missed baggage. Yesterday I got the trifecta of common occurrences. After being delayed in traffic and missing my original flight, I hurried through San Francisco airport and barely made it to my plane to Houston. It was a long way to rush through the airport and fortunately my suitcase made it onto my plane with me. When I finally arrived in Cleveland after a layover in Houston that was close to two hours, my suitcase remained in Houston. I did receive it today, but it amazes me how the airline was unable to transport my bag ten gates away to my connecting flight within two hours when it made it within thirty minutes on my first flight.

When I was rushing through the airport in San Francisco I realized as I approached my gate that I did not feel any soreness in my legs at all. I had run a marathon less than 72 hours prior and all of the aches and soreness had passed. My friend Jim at Fit Recovery was surprised to read that I ran the day after the marathon to speed up recovery. He is also a believer in active recovery and after thinking about it, he said it made sense. I learned from my first running coach that it is helpful to get out and run, jog, jog/walk a mile or two the day after a marathon. It may hurt and feel awkward, but it helps the body recover. I ran a mile and a half the day after and 2.5 miles the next day. With travel yesterday I did not workout and today I ran a very easy 1.7 miles. Today I happened to ready the post I wrote three days after I did the half iron distance triathlon in September. I commented that after I took two complete days off I was still a little sore the third day. That was not the case this time and I ran twice the distance. (Yes, no swimming and cycling this time, but it is usually the running that causes the most pain.) So I am even more a believer now in an easy run to help recover from long endurance activities.

The only part of me that continues to hurt as a result of the race are my arms. Yes, I ran a marathon and my arms still hurt – where I chaffed from the arm warmers. It really is bad and today I broke down and bought Desitin on the suggestion of my friend I traveled with in Napa. She is a nurse and a mom and she is right. I may smell like a baby’s bottom right now, but I have found relief. The things one learns from sports…

My travel experiences and my race experiences have many joyful and memorable activities. Weather, lost luggage, sore legs, and chaffing may cause a few bumps in the road – but in reflection it only seasons the experiences. I enjoyed my time immensely and I also learned a few things I will do different next time. (Did you pick up on that? I said next time, I think there just may be a next time running a marathon…) Part of seizing the day includes the good and the bumps in the road. All help add to the spice of life.

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Published by elisariva

I want to encourage everyone to follow your passions, not just what is easy. It is in overcoming hurdles and barriers that we truly test our limits and abilities. There is much more we are capable of if we only believe in ourselves.
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